G.T. Fieros

Greater Toronto Fieros
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 Post subject: Re: My '85 GT now 3800sc
PostPosted: Tue Oct 29, 2013 5:55 pm 
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Wouldn't be the same without 'before and after' shots!

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 Post subject: Re: My '85 GT now 3800sc
PostPosted: Tue Oct 29, 2013 9:10 pm 
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New rotors are here!

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 Post subject: Re: My '85 GT now 3800sc
PostPosted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 3:43 pm 
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Location: Kingston, Ontario
That's a nice height for the rear. It'll feel weird driving the car until you lower that front end some though...

Brakes look so shiny!!


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 Post subject: Re: My '85 GT now 3800sc
PostPosted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 12:35 pm 
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Those wheels look sharp!
Maybe over the winter, do a search on PFF on how to better hide wires and hoses.., the top of the swap looks like a backyard Dan special (like mine).. Woud look a lot nicer if you hide the million hoses, wires, etc.

Coming along really well!


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 Post subject: Re: My '85 GT now 3800sc
PostPosted: Sat Nov 16, 2013 10:31 pm 
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Finally got to put some time into the car again today. Started tackling the front springs and shocks. Got the brakes apart and the first shock off, it was in just beautiful shape :D (Actually had to cut the other one off, the bolt had rusted stuck to the metal sleeve in the bottom of the shock - but more on that later)

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I borrowed the ball joint tool from PartSource, and it's really nice... if you're working on a semi! There was absolutely no way I was going to be able to use it. Luckily I was just talking to Sargeants yesterday, and he was gracious enough to come over with his ball joint tool. So after only about 1/2 hour, we were able to get the first one dropped.

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Was looking at the bushings on the sway bar and thinking they should be replaced. Well, went to remove the link and it snapped like a twig! Got the spring compressed using the jack, then tied it off with straps and chunks of wire Steve had with him.

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Got the spring off the bottom perch, but it was still jammed in the top. Ended up cutting the spring in half just to get it out, but get it out we did!

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Took the new spring, compressed it and tied it off with straps to help get it in place.

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This was a much harder job then we thought. Took about 6 or 7 tries pushing down on the lower control arm and jamming the spring in. Had a really hard time getting it to line up with the notch in the LCA. Once we finally got it in, we popped out the ball joint because the cotter pin was rusted in, then moved on the the right side. Took 3 cutting discs for the Dremel slicing the lower part of the shock to get at the rusted sleeve. Steve even managed to do it AND save the bolt :)
Pulled out the angle grinder again and cut the 2nd spring in two, but now I have the top part of the spring stuck up in the tower. By this time it was getting dark, so time to call it a night. Hoping to get back at it tomorrow if the weather isn't as bad as the forecast is calling for.


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 Post subject: Re: My '85 GT now 3800sc
PostPosted: Sun Nov 17, 2013 1:28 am 
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Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2013 7:56 pm
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Location: Toronto
The joys of working on these cars, least the weather was decent today to work on it, looks like rain tomorrow here in Toronto. Friday I started ripping into the T-top again finally. Stripped down to mostly frame, next job is getting the front cross member off. Assessing the cancer and hoping we can save it. :|


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 Post subject: Re: My '85 GT now 3800sc
PostPosted: Sun Nov 17, 2013 5:13 pm 
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Hopefully you can save it, always a shame to see one that's beyond help :(


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 Post subject: Re: My '85 GT now 3800sc
PostPosted: Sun Nov 17, 2013 5:26 pm 
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More progress today...

Got up and the weather wasn't nearly as bad as I had expected, so I went out, uncovered the car, put a drop cloth down and got at it. First thing I did was get as much PB blaster up in between the rubber ring and spring perch as I could. While I waited for PB to work its magic, I went at the 2nd ball joint to get it out. This one seemed to want to come out a lot easier than the left side did, or the fact I had the configuration of receiver cup and spacers etc. figured out helped a lot. After getting the ball joint out, gave a good yank on the spring and out it came! Now just have to wait for the new parts (I ordered 2 new Moog ball joints and sway bar links from Rock Auto, only $52 for all delivered to my door), put everything back together and if the weather is still decent, take it in for an alignment.

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Last edited by netcam on Sun Nov 17, 2013 8:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: My '85 GT now 3800sc
PostPosted: Sun Nov 17, 2013 6:49 pm 
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Location: Kingston, Ontario
Rodney's tool is amazing at separating those balljoints... probably the best thing to invest in when working on the Fiero suspension

Phew!! glad you were able to get that 1/2 spring out - if not then you just lowered your car MUCH more than anticipated :)
It's helpful that I earlier ran into a few of the issues that we came across yesterday. Like stuck/broken swaybar link, stuck lower shock bolt. After this spring/summer, my dremel skills have improved immensely.. even with the standard cutoff wheels!
Hopefully you can get the other spring in and aligned easily.

Stupid Toronto traffic - took me nearly 2 hours to get home yesterday!


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 Post subject: Re: My '85 GT now 3800sc
PostPosted: Sun Nov 17, 2013 7:42 pm 
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It was certainly a plus that you came across those things, in particular the little sleeve inside the shock. I played around for a good hour with that and had no idea why I couldn't get it out. Hopefully the 2nd spring will go in as easily as the 2nd ball joint came out, but I'm not holding my breath. Thanks again for all your help yesterday, it was greatly appreciated.

I think the shocks were working on some sort of stealth technology, they almost perfectly match the floor of my garage (Which is still covered in greasy tools, I barely had enough energy to play hockey this morning)

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An example of Steve's superior Dremel skills -
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Sorry to hear about your drive home, I have no idea what could have been going on that would have caused you that much grief at 5:00 on a Saturday afteroon :(


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 Post subject: Re: My '85 GT now 3800sc
PostPosted: Sun Nov 17, 2013 9:41 pm 
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netcam wrote:
Sorry to hear about your drive home, I have no idea what could have been going on that would have caused you that much grief at 5:00 on a Saturday afteroon :(


It's called rush hour, 24/7 anytime in Toronto these days. :mrgreen:

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 Post subject: Re: My '85 GT now 3800sc
PostPosted: Thu Nov 21, 2013 8:19 pm 
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OK, I'm not expert, but I'm pretty sure this is NOT two sway bar links. My guess is the one on the left is something different :(

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They said they'll get me a new one in the mail tomorrow, but won't make it here until the end of next week. I guess my alignment is going to have to wait another week at least.


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 Post subject: Re: My '85 GT now 3800sc
PostPosted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 12:15 am 
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Fieronut

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Location: Toronto
netcam wrote:
OK, I'm not expert, but I'm pretty sure this is NOT two sway bar links. My guess is the one on the left is something different :(

Image

They said they'll get me a new one in the mail tomorrow, but won't make it here until the end of next week. I guess my alignment is going to have to wait another week at least.


that's only one link, but what is that ball joint for? definitely not Fiero, looks like something for my grand prix.


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 Post subject: Re: My '85 GT now 3800sc
PostPosted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 12:15 am 
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Fieronut

Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2013 7:56 pm
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Location: Toronto
netcam wrote:
OK, I'm not expert, but I'm pretty sure this is NOT two sway bar links. My guess is the one on the left is something different :(

Image

They said they'll get me a new one in the mail tomorrow, but won't make it here until the end of next week. I guess my alignment is going to have to wait another week at least.


that's only one link, but what is that ball joint for? definitely not Fiero, looks like something for my grand prix.


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 Post subject: Re: My '85 GT now 3800sc
PostPosted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 1:40 am 
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I have no idea what the ball joint is for. It was a repackaged product and somebody labeled it as a sway bar link, so whoever filled the order obviously just went by the part number on the bag. I guess tomorrow I'll be putting the ball joints on but won't be able to finish hooking up the sway bar. I could drive it, but after doing springs and shocks front and back I don't want to go too far without an alignment and risk screwing up my almost brand new tires.


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